Sunday, June 11, 2006

SUMMER... BREAK?

School is officially out for the Summer and our house is now an almost constant stream of energy looking for an outlet. Once again, I allow myself to be amazed at the first, "I'm bored!". Um, hello, you have been out of school one day! But, I remember the anticipation that came with that final bell... that expectation that NOW something exciting should happen. So, I try to be sympathetic with my kids and ask them to have patience for a couple more days, to relax and enjoy "doing nothing" for a bit, while I have a chance to get my bearings and catch up with the pace they set for me. As individuals, my children have different speeds of operation. One sleeps until 10 a.m., while another is up for cartoons at 6. One gets up early, makes the bed and gets dressed, the other gets up and will stay in jammies all day if allowed. But, thrown all together in a tangled, gangly, summer break mass, they become symbiotic. One gets up, they all get up... and hit the ground running. One is hungry, they all are hungry. One gets an owie, they all want to see the owie. One is crying, they all know why. One needs Mom, they all need Mom. This is what I call the "Mom-Magnet". Imagine a large magnet (the Mom) and 4 little bb's rolling along behind. The kitchen is cleaned up after a meal, 2 bb's are watching a movie, one is outside riding their bike and one is playing dolls in the bedroom. The Mom-magnet quietly heads upstairs to lie down and read a book. In less than 5 minutes the bb's are drawn from their activities, rolling along helplessly in search of the Mom, until the door is flung open and 2 bb's are on the bed (one bb is on the Mom's mid-section), one is sitting in the chair relating a recent Spongebob episode, word-for-word, and one is repeatedly flinging himself from the cedar trunk to the floor. The Mom-Magnet. I have tested it. Its real. It does not apply to Dads. Dad goes up to take a nap and 2 1/2 hours later comes out dewy-eyed and refreshed. So, you see, I need a chance to adapt, switch gears, remember that I am in charge and that this can be fun. I love this time of year. Now, where did I put that duct tape...?